Device for the prevention and treatment of deformed feet



n. 1'. MORTON. DEVICE FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DEF-ORMED FEETAPPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, I915- Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR WITNESSES I l V m0? 7 I" 7 I BY 7 '0. J. MORTON.

DEVICE FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DEFORMED FEET.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2; 1915-. I 1,335,981 e ted Apr. 6, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

EINVENTORE WTTLNEESSES I 4 E aaww be incorporated in or which may beconstructed as a separateaiy UNITED STATES PArEirrv OFFICE.

DUDLEY J. MORTON, OF-WYNNEWOOD, PENNSYLVANTA. V

DEVICE FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DEFORMED FEET. i

Application filed March 2,1915. Serial-No. 11,453.

citizen of the United States, residing in Wynnewood, in the county ofMontgomery, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful. Improvements in Devices for the Prevention and Treatment ofDeformed Feet, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device for the ,prevention and treatment ofdeformed feet' and it relates particularly to a simple and eflicientdevice for this purpose which may built into the shoe or ticle to beinserted into the ordinary type of shoe.

thopedists as the pronated feet. This condition is frequently seen inwomen and children and is quite distinct from the actual falling of thearch. Heretofore the method of correction of this fault has largelyconsisted in the employment of rigid or semirigid plates shaped to actas a wedge to hold up the arch of the foot .01 wedge shaped padscommonly called arch supports.

This treatment is particularly objectionable for children and youngeradults in whom the power of development is greatest, as therigid'sp'linting action of this method of treatment tends to weaken andproduce atro-' When the weight is applied to the normal foot a slightmovement toward the inner side takes place atthe vertex of the archcausing a moderate tightening of the muscles and tendons on that sidewhich, prevents further movement. Only a controlling influence isexerted by thesemuscles and no considerable strain occurs owing to thebeau-- tiful balance of the foot and its construction, and the weight isnormally transmitted through the bones to the ground. The movementmentioned above in considering particularly the posterior half of thefoot, is a combined rotation, inward, backward and downward, occuring onthe under Weight bearing surface of the os calcis as an axis.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, to support this Y allowing the. arch to collapse orroll inward.

- inward movement c1 able downward A variety of terms such as fallenarches, flat feet, weak ankles, etc., are commonly applied to thecondition known to or- Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Whenfrom any cause there is a failure of the muscles to properly limitthis incursion of the bones, the inward movement is increased andthe'line of weight is carried over beyond the direct vertical support ofthe bones and the strain comes on the muscles. These muscles are not ofsufiicient strength weight and gradually stretch,

Analysis of this movement. through the region "of the scaphoid boneshows a decided before there is any appreone. This factor I use in thedevice of my present invention.

The inward rolling of the foot allows the greatest strain to come uponthe innerbofrder of the arch, the outer portion of the foot turningupward and being. relieved from weight bearing. By holding the foot. inits normal position the'weight is evenly distributed, the strainon theinner border of the arch removed, and the weight is impe%led to gothrough its proper bony channe s.

V Prolonged use of the. foot in the pronated position leads tomoreextensive, and eventually permanent changes, which are deforming anddifiicult to overcome.

The object of my present invention is to provide asimple, efiicient, andinexpensive device for the prevention and treatment of p this conditionand which will allow theusual flexibility of the shoe and not mar itsexternal appearance. p 1

The principle employed is one of leverage. Pressure is put against theregion about the inner sidegof the astragalo-scaphoid joint andcounterpressure against the outer side of the heel and against the outerside of the foot nearthe base of the toes. The fulcrum of the lever islocated at the heelwhich is the axis of rotation, and is held stationaryby and as the body weight is superimposed.

The short arm of the lever extends from the heel up the inner side ofthe foot to the.

[The long arm of astragalo s'caphoid joint. the lever extends forwardtoward the toes where it is fixed. Shaped to slightly increase thenormal inside line of the foot before weight is applied (this beingtheposition that even' pronated this leverage is always ance.

The nature and characteristic features'of my invention will be morereadily underfeet tend to assume) effective thereby obtaining theadvantage of an initial resiststood from the following description takenings forming part hereof, in which in connection "with the accompanyingdra IiJFi'gure 11s a side elevation of the bones of the foot showing asimple form' of my invention inoperative position with respect thereto;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in Fig. 1; k 1 Fig. 3is a perspective view, partly cut away, showing a shoe of ordinaryconstruction with the device of Fig. 2 mounted in position therein;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a top or plan view of the bones of the foot with the device ofFig. i-shown incpperati've position with relation thereto; an i Fig. 6is a side elevation of Fig. 5;

' Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the inventionshown in Figs.

1 to 3, in this instance the shoe, which preferably should be properlyfitted to the wearer, will furnish two of the elements re quired for theaction, namely, that portion .10 of the shoe counter on the outer sidein the region of the heel will furnish one source of counter pressure orsupport, and the sole 60 of the shoe acts as the long armof the.

lever, the upper in the region of the toes holding this in position andgiving counter pressure or support for the action of the short arm ofthe lever which is comprised in the device shown in detached perspectivein- Fig. 2 of the drawings. This device is preferably constructed ofsheet metal-or other suitable material having sufiicient rigidity forits intended purpose and comprises a .flat base portion 50 adapted to benailed or otherwise securel heel or. other solid portion of the shoe.Extending upward and forward from the base portion 50 is a continuation80 which extends on the inner side of the foot toward the region of theastragalo-soaphoi'd joint at which point there is provided a bearingportion 90 to restrain the excessive inward movement of this portion offoot as hereinbefore set forth.

In view of the fact that all movable joints of the .arch lie anterior tothe astragalus, the lower end ofthe extension should preferably not comefarther forward than this point. The wedge shaped plates or Farchsupports previouslyreferred to, are sometimes extended upward on theinsideas a flange to the astraga'lo-scaphoid joint, but

i 4 as they extend forward from the heel to the base of the toes andthis-flange bent at a right angle extends ractically the samedistance,the plate is t ereby made rigid and ressing against the under surface oftheoot prohibits all flexibility. The device which I have described actsonly upon the fastened to the lateral movement "ofithe foot and in noway.

effects the normaljaction of the joints. in}

.front f e assigns, allewiii allftheif-"l movement which-theflexibilityo the shoe permits:

In Figs. 4 to 6 of the drawings there is shown a modification of thedevice ada ted.

for use in more advanced cases and in w ich less dependence is placed onthe shoe for performing 'partof the function. This embodiment of myinvention is likewise preferably constructed of sheet metaljor -othersuitable material, having suflicient rigidity for its intended purpose,yet of suflicient flexibility to permit the usual normal movements ofthe foot. The device comprises a substantially flat portion or plate 5Ovhaving a relatively narrow shank 61 and terminating at the front in awider part 71. The widened .part 71 rests under the ball of the foot andservestohold more securely the shank 61, which constitutes part of thelong arm of the lever. Counter-pres the plate 50 near the rear is aprojection 80, which extends upward-at practically a right an le andforward to provide at 90 a bearing surface opposite the inner side ofthe head of the astragalus or scaphoid to thereby restrain unduedisplacement inward when weight is applied. Extending upward from theouter side of the rear portion of the plate 50 is a projection 101,which acts as a fulcrum and reinforces the action of the shoe counterspoken of in the description of the other form 6f the device, thisprojection 101 being located in the region of the lower posteriorportion of the os calcis.

" The device in either form may be covered to enhance'its appearance orpadded to give greater comfort. The preferred manner of use is toincorporate it in, and make it a component part of the shoe. In thisinstance it would be preferably located within the inner lining of theshoe, the lower part under the in-sole, the upright parts between asplit counter.

It should be noted that in the proper operation of the device itsfunction is accom- Ill plished by controlling the position of the footby means of initial restraint, through leverage, of undue inwardmovement at the astragalo-scaphoid joint, so that the weight the innerside of the region of the astragalo- I is transmitted from the bones ofthe leg to the ground in its normal line, and further-- more the devicedoes not interfere with or supplant the normal function of the musclesand tissues, allowing them their normal exercise and function.

Having thus described the nature and characteristic features of myinvention, what L claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent'is- 1. A device of the character described comprising means providingpressure against scaphoid joint, and means providing counter pressure onthe outer side approximate the extremities of the foot.

2. A device of the character described comprising a plate adapted to liebeneath the foot, a projection extending upward from the inner sidethereof providing pressure about the region of the astragalo-scaphoidjoint and means providing counter pressure on the outer side approximatethe extremities of the foot.

3. A device of the character described comprising a plate adapted to liebeneath the rear part of the foot, a pro ection upward and forward fromthe inner side thereof providing pressure about the region of theastragalo-scaphoid joint, and means providlng counter pressure on theouter side approximate the extremities of the foot.

.4. A device of the character described comprising a plate adaptedto liebeneath the foot, a projection extending upward on the inner sidethereof providing pressure about the region of the astragalo scapholdjoint, a projection extending upward from the outer side of said plateproviding counter pressure about the lower POSlJGI'IOI portion of the 0scalcis, and means providing counter pressure on the outside of the forepart of the foot.

5. A device .of the character descrlbed comprising a plate adapted tolie beneath the rear part of the foot, a projection extending upward andforward on the inner side thereof providing pressure about the region ofthe astragalo-scaphoid joint, a projection extending'upward from theouter side of said plate providing counter pressure about the lowerposterior portion of the os calcis, and means providing counter pressureon the outer side of the fore part of the foot.

6. A device of the character described comprising a plate adapted to liebeneath the rear part of the foot, a relatively narrow flexible shankextending forward therefrom, a projection extending upward and forwardon the inner side of said plate providing pressure about the region ofthe astragalo-scaphoid comprising a plate adapted to lie beneaththe rearpart of the foot, a relatively narrow .fiexible shank extending forwardtherefrom and having a widened portion at its front end, a projectionextending upward and forward from the inner side of said plate providingpressure about the region of the astragalo-scaphoid joint, a projectionextending upward from the outer side of said plate providing counterpressure about the lower portion of the os calcis, and means providingcounter-pressure on the outer side of the fore part of the foot.

8. A device of the character described comprising a plate adapted to liebeneath the rear part of the foot, a. projection extending upward andforward from the inner side thereof providing pressure about the regionof the astragalo-scaphoid joint, a projection extending upward from saidplate on its outer side providing counter pressure about the region ofthe lower posterior portion of the 0s calcls, a relatively narrowflexible shank extending forward from said plate having its front endwidened, and a projec-' tion extending upward from the outer side ofsaid widened part providing counterpressureabout the region of thedistal part of the fifth metatarsal bone.

9. A device of the character described, comprising a smooth relativelywide plate adapted to be positioned beneath the foot,

a smooth upwardly extending lateral arm integral with said plate adaptedto apply a lateral pressure upon the inner side of the .foot in theregion of the astragalo-scaphoid joint, and means for applying a counterpressure upon the opposite side of the foot. In testimony whereof I havehereunto signed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

DUDLEY J. MORTON. Witnesses:

' EDWARD FELL LUKnNs, THLLTAN ll. Nnvum.

